Device for holding a stamper on the die of a record press

ABSTRACT

A record press having structure for releasably holding a stamper on a die of the press. This structure includes a circular clamping ring for clamping the periphery of the stamper to the die. A plurality of spring units coact with the ring to urge it to its clamping position. The ring can be displaced with respect to the spring units to a released position where the ring is free to move to and from the periphery of the stamper. The center of the stamper is locked to the die prior to clamping of the periphery of the stamper to the die, and this locking is brought about by way of a central locking member which is held releasably in a locking position by a radially movable locking wedge.

United States Patent I l 13,632,280

[72] Invento s Leonard i 1,916,996 7/1933 Somner l8/5.3 F 22 LakevlewAve., Elizabeth, NJ. 07932; 2,092,880 9/1937 Hunter et al l8/5.3 Ffizigg fi ggifi gh gb ill-08d Primary Examiner-H. A. Kilby, Jr.

[21] p No. 858,426 Attorney-Blum, Moscovitz, Friedman & Kaplan [22]Filed Sept. 16, 1969 [45] Patented 1972 ABSTRACT: A record press havingstructure for releasably holding a stamper on a die of the press. Thisstructure includes 541 DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STAMPER ON THE on; acircular clamping ring clampifg P OF A RECORD PRESS stamper to the die.A plurallty of spring units coact with the ring to urge it to itsclamping position. The ring can be dis- 5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

placed with respect to the spring units to a released position U-S.where the ring is free to move to and from the periphery of [he [5 l 1Cl B299 17/ 00 stamper. The center of the stamper is locked to the dieprior to [50] Field Of Search 18/53 R, damping of the periphery of thetamper [o the die and [his 5.3 P, locking is brought about by way of acentral locking member which is held releasably in a locking position bya radially [5 6] References cued movable locking wedge.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,642 3/1926 Bishop 18/53 F w 5i (5 55 52 Ti64 56 50 g DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STAMPER ON THE DIE OF A RECORD PRESSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to themanufacture of disc records.

In particular, the present invention relates to a record press, andspecifically to the structure for mounting a stamper on the die of sucha record press.

As is well-known a stamper is a thin metal disc which impresses one sideof a phonograph record in the record press. This stamper is held againstthe die of the press, being secured to this due both at the center andat the periphery of the stamper.

At the present time the conventional structure used for holding thestamper on the die is composed of rigid mounting elements. Thus, a rigidclamping ring clamps the periphery of the stamper to the die. Because ofthis rigid-mounting arrangement, there is a progressive metal fatigueand a relatively short life for the structure. Thus, after only a fewthousand cycles failure takes place, resulting in the necessity ofchanging the stamper in order to continue the operations. Theconventional devices require a considerable time for changing a stamper,so that the idle time of the press during which no output can be derivedtherefrom is undesirably long. Thus, the unavoidable high costs areencountered not only by the requirement of replacing one stamper withanother, but also by the idle time and additional labor costs which areunavoidable.

With the conventional arrangements it is necessary to use removablewrenches for clamping and unclamping the stamper. Because such wrenchescan easily be dropped onto the face of the stamper, there is a verygreat risk of ruining a stamper because of these conditions.

Furthermore, with the presently known constructions, considerabledifficulty is encountered in locking and unlocking the center of thestamper to the die. A central locking member is used for this purpose,and because of the relative inaccessibility of the arrangement thislocking member is difficult to remove and to place in its lockingposition. Thus, the operations and structure conventionally used forlocking the central region of the stamper prior to locking of theperiphery thereof gives rise to further inconveniences and high costsinvolved with the known arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a device which will avoid the abovedrawbacks.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide adevice capable of clamping the periphery of the stamper in the dieautomatically with a unifonn clamping force and without the rigidityinherent in the known devices, so that progressive metal fatigue isminimized and the operative life of the components is very greatlyincreased.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangementwhere it is unnecessary to make use of removable wrenches which can beeasily be dropped on the face of the stamper.

Also, it is an object of the invention to clamp the periphery of thestamper to the die with a spring arrangement which will achieve a degreeof floating which eliminates the rigidity of the known arrangements andall of the disadvantages inherent therein.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a simple constructionof this type which will enable the clamping force to be adjusted andwhich at the same time provides a rapid connect and disconnect of thestamper by way of simple manipulation of a handle, for example.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide for the centralregion of the stamper a locking and unlocking device which can be veryeasily and conveniently manipulated for locking the center of thestamper to the die prior to locking of the periphery of the stamper tothe die.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a device whichcan easily regulate the force with which the center of the stamper islocked to the die and which at the same time can be operated to readilydisplace the locking structure to a position where it can beconveniently and quickly manipulated for releasing the stamper.

According to the invention a clamping ring means and a spring means forma pair of means which have with respect to each other a clampingposition where the ring means clamps the periphery of a stamper to a dieand a nonclamping position where the ring means is free to be moved toand from the periphery of the stamper. A moving means coacts with one ofthe pair of means for displacing it with respect to the other to providethe clamping and nonclamping positions. In order to releasably lock thecentral region of the stamper to the die prior to the clamping of theperiphery thereof to the die, a central locking member has an inclinedsurface capable of being engaged by a wedge surface of a radiallymovable locking wedge which when shifted in one direction wedges thecentral locking member in its locked position and when moved in anopposite, unlocking direction displaces the central locking member to aposition which facilitates the removal thereof so as to release thestamper for ready removal from the die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the lower die of a record press which isprovided with the structure of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 2-2 of FIG.I in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 shows the central region of the structure of FIG. 2 in anunlocked position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse-sectional elevation taken along line4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and showing the centrallocking structure at a scale which is enlarged as compared to FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 5-5 of FIG.1 in the direction of the arrows and showing at an enlarged scale ascompared to FIG. 1 part of the structure for clamping the periphery ofthe stamper to the die, FIG. 5 also showing in phantom lines the upperdie assembly which coacts with the lower die;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken along line 6-6 of FIG.5 in the direction of the arrows to show further details of theperipheral clamping structure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the position which the partstake when they are in a nonclamping position;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section elevation taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 7in the direction of the arrows and showing at an enlarged scale ascompared to FIG. 7 the position which the parts take when in theirnonclamping relationship; and

FIG. 9 is a section elevation taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8 in thedirection of the arrows and showing further details of the structure.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings thereis shown in FIG. 1 the lower die of a record press as the die appearswhen looking down onto the top thereof. This die 10 of the record pressis provided at its corners with posts 12 which serve to horizontallyguide the upper die I4 shown in phantom lines in FIG. 5. FIG. I alsoshows counterbores l6 situated at the corners to receive screws whichfix the die 10 to the supporting structure of the press.

As is well-known the upper and lower dies will carry stampers in theform of thin metal discs which will respectively impress the oppositesides of a phonograph record in the record press when the upper andlower dies have with respect to each other the position indicated inFIG. 5.

As may be seen from FIG. 2, the stamper 18 is releasably locked at itscentral portion to the die 10 by a releasable lock means which includesa central member 20 having a vertically extending shank 22 which extendsthrough a central vertical bore of the die 10. This shank 22 is fixed atits top end to a circular disc 24 of the central member 20, and thisdisc 24 is received in a recess of the die 10 into which the centralportion of the stamper 18 extends in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

The shank 22 is formed adjacent its lower end with a pair of opposedtransversely extending notches 25 which have upwardly directed inclinedend surfaces 26 adapted to coact with the wedge surfaces of a radiallymovable locking wedge 28 of the releasable lock means. This lockingwedge 28 is guided in a suitable radial slot 30 of the structure 33which supports the die 10 and to which the die I is fixed, Thus, thelocking wedge 28 has a horizontal leg situated in the guide 30 andterminates at its outer end in a vertical leg 32 shown at the right ofFIG. 2. At the region ofits left end, as viewed in FIG. 2, the lockingwedge 28 is formed with an elongated opening into which the pair ofopposed locking wedge portions 34 respectively extend with theseportions having downwardly directed inclined surfaces to coact with theinclined surfaces 26 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus, whenthe locking wedge 28 is displaced to the left in the direction of thearrow 36 of FIG. 2, the wedge portions 34 will press against the surfaces 26 in order to lock the member 20 in its lower locking positionlocking the central portion of the stamper 18 to the die 10.

In order to unlock the member 20 the locking wedge 28 is displaced tothe right in the direction opposite to that shown by the arrow 36, thelocking wedge 28 at this time being disposed in the direction of thearrow 38 of FIG. 3. At its inner end the locking wedge is provided withan upwardly directed inclined surface 40 which of the same inclinationas the bottom end surface 42 of the shank 22. Thus, when the lockingwedge 28 is displaced in the direction of the arrow 38 to the unlockingposition shown in FIG. 3, the member 20 is raised to the elevation shownin FIG. 3 where it is completely unlocked so that the operator caneasily grasp the disc 24 and remove the member 20 from the die so thatone stamper 18 may be replaced by another when it is desired to changefrom the manufacturing of one phonograph record to the manufacturing ofanother phonograph record. When a new stamper is situated on the die 10it is a simple matter to introduce the shank 22 downwardly through thecentral opening of the stamper to the position shown in FIG. 3, and thenthe locking wedge 28 need only be moved in the direction of the arrow 36of the FIG. 2 in order to cause the wedge portions 34 to coact with thesurfaces 26 in order to again return the central member to its lockingposition.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, the supporting structure 33 of the pressfixedly carries a radially extending screw 44 on which a nut 46 isthreaded. The nut 46 extends with a fairly close fit through an openingin the leg 32 of the locking wedge 28, and at its left end, as viewed inFIG. 2, the nut 46 fixedly carries a collar 48 so that while the nut canturn with respect to the leg 32 it cannot move axially with respectthereto. Thus by turning the nut 46 on the threaded stud 44 it ispossible to displace the locking wedge 28 either in the direction of thearrow 36 or in the direction of the arrow 38.

It is therefore apparent that with this releasable lock means of theinvention it is a simple matter to place the member 20 in a positionwhere it can be conveniently removed and replaced while at the same timeit can be very conveniently locked in the position shown in FIG. 2 inorder to initially lock the central portion of the stamper 18 due to thedie 10. Naturally similar operations can be performed with a similarstructure associate with the upper die 14 shown in phantom lines in FIG.5.

Once the central portion of the stamper I8 is releasably fixed in thisway, the peripheral portion thereof is releasably fixed to the die 10.For this purpose, the structure of the invention includes a one-piececircular clamping ring means 50 placed around and next to the peripheryof the stamper 18 in the manner most clearly illustrated in FIG. 1 and2. This clamping ring means 50 is formed at its outer peripheral edgeregion with a plurality of uniformly distributed notches 52. In theexample illustrated in FIG. I there are four such notches 52 displacedby with respect to each other about the axis of the clamping ring 50.This axis of course coincides with the axis of the shank 22 of thelocking member 20. The clamping ring 50 is turned in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. I, to its clamping position. When consideredin this clamping direction, indicated by the arrow 54 in FIG. 6, eachnotch 52 has a rear trailing end 56 of tapered wedge-shapedconfiguration most clearly shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

Initially when the clamping ring 50 is placed on the outer peripheraledge of the stamper 18, the notches 52 are respec tively aligned with aplurality of spring means 58, so that each notch 52 and spring means 58will initially have with respect to each other the position indicated inFIG. 9. This open position of the ring means 50 and spring means 58 withrespect to each other is also illustrated in FIG. 8. The parts alsoshown in this position in FIG. 7. As may be seen from FIGS. 5 and 7 eachspring means 58 is in the form of a unit which includes a bolt 60threaded into a suitable threaded bore of the die 10 and extendingthrough a washer 62 which partly extends into a recess 64 of the die 10.This washer 62 extends into the notch 52 when the parts have theposition shown in FIGS. 7-9. Each spring means 58 further includes acircular cup spring 66 formed with an opening through which the shank ofthe screw 60 extends with each cup spring 66 situated between the washer62 and the head of the bolt 60. This structure for releasably clampingthe stamper at its periphery is completed by a moving means which in theillustrated example takes the form of a handle 70 fixed to and extendingradially from the ring 50in the manner shown most clearly in FIG. 1. Thedie I0 is formed with a notch 72 through which the handle 70 extends sothat the end faces 74 and 76 of the notch 72 respectively form a limitmeans limiting the extent of turning of the ring means 50. Thus, thehandle 70 can be turned between the solid and dot-dash line positionsindicated in FIG. I. In the solid line position of handle 70 theclamping ring means 50 is in its clamping position while in the dot-dashline position and the clamping ring means is in its nonclamping positionand can be raised away from the stamper 18 so that the latter can beremoved and replaced.

As is apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 6 and 9, when the clampingring means 50 is turned in the direction of the arrow 54 from itsnonclamping position shown in FIG. 9 toward its clamping position shownin FIG. 6, the several tapered, wedge portions 56 at the trailing endsof the notches 52 will respectively slide beneath the several washers 62of the several spring means 58 so as to urge these washers upwardly tothe positions shown in FIG. 5 in opposition to the force of the cupsprings 66. The bolts 60 can be turned so as to adjust the force of thespring means 58. Thus, the threaded connection of the bolts 60 in thethreaded bores of the die 10 forms an adjusting means for adjusting theforce of the spring means 58. Because of this spring means a floating,nonrigid type of clamping action is achieved which greatly increases thelife of the structure by preventing the metal fatigue which isencountered with conventional structures used for similar purposed.

When it is desired to release the periphery of the stamper I8 the handle70 need only be turned into engagement with the surface 76 of the die10, and the parts will again be placed in the position shown in FIGS.7-9 where the several spring means 58 are respectively aligned with thenotches 52 releasing the ring 50 for removal from the peripheral regionof the stamper.

It is therefore apparent that with this exceedingly simple structure itis possible to releasably clamp the periphery of the stamper to the diein the manner described above and shown in the drawings.

Thus, with the structure of the invention the stamper will first beclamped at its central region to the die and will be clamped at itsperipheral region to the die. Although the structure is described abovein connection with the lower die 10, this structure can of course beduplicated with the upper die 14. Also, although only one handle 70 isillustrated, a plurality of such handles may be used, if desired, thesehandles then being distributed about the clamping ring.

As may be seen particularly from FIG. 5, a certain amount of the recordmaterial will tend to flow out from the stamper, and the peripheralmounting arrangement of the invention will provide a degreeofaccommodation for such excess material. Not only does the nonrigidspringy pressure avoid metal fatigue because of the avoidance ofrigidity, with the structure of the invention, but in addition the useof a handle 70 eliminates the need of wrenches or the like which greatlyincrease the possibility of damaging the stamper for the reasons pointedout above.

Furthermore substantially less time is required for stamper change tothereby substantially reduce down or idle time of the apparatus.

What is claimed is:

1. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery ofa stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with saidclamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of astamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, saidclamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which havewith respect to each other a clamping position where said spring meanspresses the clamping ring means against the periphery of a stamper and anonclamping position where said spring means does not act on saidclamping ring means and the latter is free for movement to and from theperiphery of a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at leastone of said pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means withrespect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of meansselectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect toeach other, and releasable locking means coacting with the centralregion of the stamper for releasably locking the latter at its centralregion to the die prior to clamping of the periphery of the stamper tothe die.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said releasable locking meansincludes an elongated shank whose axis coincides with the central axisof said clamping ring means, a plate fixed to the top end of said shankto be pressed into a central recess of the stamper when the shank is ina locked position, said shank having between its ends an inclined wedgesurface, and a locking wedge movable perpendicularly with respect to theshank axis and engaging the inclined wedge surface thereof for placingthe shank and the plate connected thereto in said locked position inresponse to movement of the locking wedge in one direction whileunlocking the shank and plate fixed thereto upon movement of the lockingwedge in an opposition direction.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said locking wedge is in theform of an elongated member having beyond said die a lateral extensionformed with an opening, a nut received in the latter opening, and astationary screw on which said nut is turnable for moving said lockingwedge in said directions.

4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said shank has distant fromsaid plate an inclined end face while said locking wedge has distantfrom its wedge portion which engages the wedge surface of said shank aninclined surface engaging the inclined end face of said shank to axiallydisplace the latter to an unlocked position upon movement of the lockingwedge in the unlocking direction.

5. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery ofa stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with saidclamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of astamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, saidclamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which havewith respect to each other a clamping position where said spring meanspresses the clampin ring means against the geriphery of a stamper and anonc ampmg position where sat spring means does not act on said clampingring means and the latter is free for movement to and from the peripheryof a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at least one ofsaid pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means withrespect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of meansselectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect toeach other, and adjusting means coacting with said spring means foradjusting the force thereof, wherein said spring means is carried by andremains stationary with respect to the die of the record press whilesaid moving means is connected with said clamping ring means fordisplacing the latter with respect to said spring means, wherein saidmoving means is in the form of a handle fixed to and projecting fromsaid clamping ring means to be engaged by the operator for turning saidring means with respect to said spring means between said clamping andnonclamping positions, wherein said clamping ring means is in the formof a one-piece circular ring having an outre peripheral region formedwith notches equidistantly spaced from each other angularly about theaxis of said ring, said spring means including a plurality of unitsrespectively situated at said notches so as to have no influence on saidring means when the latter is in its nonclamping position with respectto said spring means, while said notches are situated beyond said unitsof said spring means with the latter engaging said ring means when saidring means is in its clamping position with respect to the units of saidspring means, wherein each of said units of said spring means includes abolt having a head and carried by the die in a threaded bore thereof, awasher situated beneath the head of the bolt, and a circular springsituated between the head of the bolt and the washer to urge the latteraway from the bolthead, said ring having at one end of each of thenotches thereof a tapered, wedge-shaped portion extendingcircumferentially of said ring to move beneath the washer of each unitto compress the spring between each washer and bolthead to achieve theclamping relationship between the ring means and spring means, saidadjusting means being formed by the threaded connection of said boltswith said die.

1. In a record press, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery ofa stamper to a die of the record press, spring means coacting with saidclamping ring means for pressing the latter against the periphery of astamper to clamp the latter on the die of the record press, saidclamping ring means and spring means forming a pair of means which havewith respect to each other a clamping position where said spring meanspresses the clamping ring means against the periphery of a stamper and anonclamping position where said spring means does not act on saidclamping ring means and the latter is free for movement to and from theperiphery of a stamper, moving means operatively connected with at leastone of said pair of means for moving said one of said pair of means withrespect to the other of said pair of means to place the pair of meansselectively in said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect toeach other, and releasable locking means coacting with the centralregion of the stamper for releasably locking the latter at its centralregion to the die prior to clamping of the periphery of the stamper tothe die.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said releasablelocking means includes an elongated shank whose axis coincides with thecentral axis of said clamping ring means, a plate fixed to the top endof said shank to be pressed into a central recess of the stamper whenthe shank is in a locked position, said shank having between its ends aninclined wedge surface, and a locking wedge movable perpendicularly withrespect to the shank axis and engaging the inclined wedge surfacethereof for placing the shank and the plate connected thereto in saidlocked position in response to movement of the locking wedge in onedirection while unlocking the shank and plate fixed thereto uponmovement of the locking wedge in an opposition direction.
 3. Thecombination of claim 2 and wherein said locking wedge is in the form ofan elongated member having beyond said die a lateral extension formedwith an opening, a nut received in the latter opening, and a stationaryscrew on which said nut is turnable for moving said locking wedge insaid directions.
 4. The combination of claim 3 and wherein said shankhas distant from said plate an inclined end face while said lockingwedge has distant from its wedge portion which engages the wedge surfaceof said shank an inclined surface engaging the inclined end face of saidshank to axially displace the latter to an unlocked position uponmovement of the locking wedge in the unlocking direction.
 5. In a recordpress, clamping ring means for clamping the periphery of a stamper to adie of the record press, spring means coacting with said clamping ringmeans for pressing the latter against the periphery of a stamper toclamp the latter on the die of the record press, said clamping ringmeans and spring means forming a pair of means which have with respectto each other a clamping position where said spring means presses theclamping ring means against the periphery of a stamper and a nonclampingposition where said spring means does not act on said clamping ringmeans and the latter is free for movement to and from the periphery of astamper, moving means operatively connected with at least one of saidpair of means for moving said one of said pair of means with respect tothe other of said pair of means to place the pair of means selectivelyin said clamping or nonclamping positions with respect to each other,and adjusting means coacting with said spring means for adjusting theforce thereof, wherein said spring means is carried by and remainsstationary with respect to the die of the record press while said movingmeans is connected with said clamping ring means for displacing thelatter with respect to said spring means, wherein said moving means isin the form of a handle fixed to and projecting from said clamping ringmeans to be engaged by the operator for turning said ring means withrespect to said spring means between said clamping and nonclampingpositions, wherein said clamping ring means is in the form of aone-piece circular ring having an outer peripheral region formed withnotches equidistantly spaced from each other angularly about the axis ofsaid ring, said spring means including a plurality of units respectivelysituated at said notches so as to have no influence on said ring meanswhen the latter is in its nonclamping position with respect to saidspring means, while said notches are situated beyond said units of saidspring means with the latter engaging said ring means when said ringmeans is in its clamping position with respect to the units of saidspring means, wherein each of said units of said spring means includes abolt having a head and carried by the die in a threaded bore thereof, awasher situated beneath the head of the bolt, and a circular springsituated between the head of the bolt and the washer to urge the latteraway from the bolthead, said ring having at one end of each of thenotches thereof a tapered, wedge-shaped portion extendingcircumferentially of said ring to move beneath the washer of each unitto compress the spring between each washer and bolthead to achieve theclamping relationship between the ring means and spring means, saidadjusting means being foRmed by the threaded connection of said boltswith said die.